Muriwai - before the Gannets leave.

Over to the West coast of Auckland today to the Muriwai gannet colony..

Photos and more to follow.................................

Pukorokoro/Miranda catchups

 It's always good to catch up with people at the Robert Findlay Reserve and at the Pukorokoro/Miranda Shorebird Centre on the Thames estuary.

 Today was extra special as I was able to meet up with my friend Claire from Perth WA and share with her the Pukorokoro shorebird environment. Claire is a Marine Ecologist whose specialty is the Australian Fairy Tern. Her work now includes assisting the NZ Scientific Advisory group for research into the Tara Iti, the New Zealand Fairy Tern.

 Claire was enjoying seeing large numbers of shorebirds including South Island pied oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwit. Pacific Golden plovers and our New Zealand endemic the Wrybill a small, unusual bird with a bent to the right beak.

Today recent arrivals to NZ from the UK Shona and James were also visiting the Shorebird Centre and by chance Shona and Claire are linked to conservation projects in Australia. I wish them good luck for their future time in NZ and hope to catch up with them in Auckland some time.

It was good to chat to Natalie at the hides about Conservation. Natalie works on genome sequencing at Mannaki Whenua Landcare Research. 

The weather was great the birds were great and the company excellent. Altogether a very enjoyable day.

Mermaid Pool

 Exploring the Motutara Reserve looking for the mermaid pools. There are many so called mermaid pools around New Zealand and they are well worth the effort to seek them out. 

We have visited this area on many occasions but somehow missed the mermaid pools hidden away at the far end of the Motutara reserve. It's an enjoyable walk with first a climb over the 60 metre  hill to the Trig point. From there we enjoyed fantastic ocean views including the Poor Knights islands and in the opposite direction the Whananaki estuary below the Reserve. 

On this occasion we were rewarded after a hot but beautiful walk and then enjoyed a well-deserved refreshing swim at the small, secluded bay below. On this occasion the sea temperatures were the warmest I have experienced in the North and this may be why a Manta Ray was recently observed on this coastline.

Meadow Argus

 Cicadas, bee's, paper wasps, small blue butterflies and moths and very occasionally birds fly into the front porch. I'm always rescuing them especially the bees because by morning they are really sluggish due to the overnight temperatures. However, they soon recover and using the sun re-calibrate and are off again on purposeful flight. 

 Today it was a rare migrant butterfly, a Meadow Argus (Junonia villida calybe). It was not in perfect condition but still looked beautiful.

 It's an Australian butterfly found all around the Australian continent including the Sydney suburbs. 

Apparently, it's a rare migrant to New Zealand but in late 1886 thousands made their way across the Tasman Sea to this country.

Jutland Reserve Marsden Re-development.

 A stunning day to observe 200 bar-tailed godwits roosting in the estuary this morning and a reminder of how sensitive this Shoal Bay estuary environment is.

Today was a joint walk around the Marsden development area with the local environment group (RTH). We were joined by a representative from the Councils Healthy Waters department to share learning ahead of another intensive development, that could impact on this Significant Ecological Area.

My concerns follow the impacts of previous developments around the estuary edge that have either not followed sediment control guidelines or that the guidelines themselves have been totally inadequate to deal with current impact of climate, namely heavy rainfall events.

I hope that with early involvement in this project that members of the local environment group (RTH) will have the chance to monitor the methodology and any risk factors that could jeopardize this vulnerable cliff edge and risk sediment flow into the marine environment below.

Happy New Year

 A Happy New year to All.